Jenna Powers

Jenna Powers, MSW, has a research focus on the empowerment and engagement of individuals and communities within systems-level change. She has a particular interest in the synthesis of micro- and macro-level work involved within the engagement of youth in policy change. Her current research focuses on the practice of engaging young adults who have aged out of the foster care system as the experts of needed changes in practice and policy. Jenna is also dedicated to increasing social workers’ political impact through social work education that reflects the profession’s historical commitment to advocacy from within the political arena.

Jenna graduated from the University of New England (UNE) MSW program, where she focused on community organizing and program development with an emphasis on educating and empowering individuals to participate in the political arena. She then co-founded the Maine Chapter of New Leaders Council (a non-partisan training program for emerging progressive leaders) and coordinated the Northern New England Campaign School, a replication of the Campaign School for Social Workers through UConn’s Nancy A. Humphreys Institute for Political Social Work.

Research Interests:

• Youth Empowerment
• Political Engagement
• Young Adults Transitioning Out of Foster Care
• Social, Political, and Economic Justice
• Political Social Work